Author Topic: socializing pyr puppy  (Read 5394 times)

Offline wbf

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socializing pyr puppy
« on: November 01, 2006, 03:33:39 pm »
What is the ideal way to socialize a Pyr pup and is there anything unique to socializing this breed relative to other breeds?  What is involved with raising a puppy with potential for future therapy work?  Any information is greatly appreciated.

Offline Skippy

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #1 on: November 02, 2006, 03:16:57 am »
Hi,
Glad you came. Was really surprised this morning that no one had replied to you yet.

I can't help you with the answer to socializing your pyr puppy, I have only the one who is just turning 10 months old. She seems to like everyone and gets along with the dogs she meets here on the farm. Just take her with you as much as you can. Enroll in obedience classes so you can meet alot of different situtations.

I am sure others will come along with more detail than I can give you.

I am would really like to know too if anyone uses one for a therapy dog. I don't have the time to do that, but would like to get Lollie to the point where I could take her to see my mother in law who is in a nursing home.

When my daughter got a new puppy a few months ago we took her once. She is an Aussie and she was very young. Everyone really was glad to see her and it took us a long time to get thru the halls.

Hope you find answer to your questions. If you already have a puppy, the gang here will request pictures I am sure.

Skippy

Central New York

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #2 on: November 02, 2006, 03:37:06 am »
My pup is 4 months old. I have started socialization the second week I got her. She is graduating from the Puppy Class next week. I am taking her with me anywhere I go...gas station, friends, parks, etc. Make sure that your pup is not scared of different sounds like vacuum, dropping pans, cars. If see that the dog is scared DO NOT comfort him/her and let her/him figure out the situation by herself. The dog has to understand that the sound is not going to hurt.
We just got back from CT. We drove for 7 hours each way. My pup slept the whole way. We took her to the nursing home to visit out grandpa for the first time. Oh, boy, was I proud of my dog. She was so polite to everyone. She was just sitting for petting and not moving at all (she is only 4 month!). Everybody was in love with her.
I think that well socialized Great Pyrenees dogs make wonderfull therapy dogs. Good luck!
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
Mary W. Crane

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it :)


Offline patrick

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #3 on: November 02, 2006, 03:41:33 am »
I have several Pyrs that have gone on to do therapy work.  One was the demonstration dog for teaching children safety with dogs, another went to a school with disturbed children and he is doing fabulous. 

Offline bluskygirl

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #4 on: November 02, 2006, 03:45:01 am »
Bella will be 4 months old this weekend, so I have been hard at work on the socialization thing to.  I definitely take her with me every chance I get. Sometimes we go this outdoor shopping area by my house just to socialize. I buy a coffee and sit out side and we greet people who walk buy.  I also take her to the dropzone where I skydive to play with the other "dropzone dogs" and she gets to spend a lot of time meeting new people.  Once your dog has enough of her shots to be safe, taking her with you to a pet store is good too.  Parks... anywhere you think you'll bump into people is good.  Dog socialization can be difficult becuase you don't want to have any bad experiences for your puppy, so taking her to visit friends you know have nice dogs is a good way to start, and puppy obedience is also great.  I'm not an expert at this, but I know that you have to do as much as you can as early as you can to make the real difference and can determine the success for a life in the therapy world!  Good luck!
Bella- Smooth Coat Saint
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Offline People Whisperer

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #5 on: November 02, 2006, 04:08:11 am »
Show us your pup! Pictures, pictures..
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
Mary W. Crane

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it :)


Offline DoberBaby17

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #6 on: November 02, 2006, 07:27:38 am »
I have a new puppy coming this month (a Doberman), and I have found that one of our local boarding/training places has evening play dates once per week. It is just a supervised play session for a limit of 6 or 8 dogs (I forget exactly). I would recommend looking for something like that. Also, someone I know just walked their dog around the mall area with a dog shirt on that said, "Dog In Training. Pet Me!" That may, however, require much more attention and monitoring, but a thought...

Good Luck! :)
Stacy

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain."

Offline wbf

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2006, 03:56:56 pm »
Thanks for all the helpful information.  We don't have our puppy yet - we are anxiously awaiting "its" arrival :-)  . 

bigdogs@5501

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #8 on: November 07, 2006, 01:31:56 pm »
I have 3 Pyrs currently. From 8 mos to 7 years of age. I have not taken any of the Pyrs thru obedience training because they literally have a mind of thier own and they really do think that they are smarter than thier owner. Do not misinterprete that statement. I love my Pyrs and will always own a Pyr. Pyrs are one of the most gentle dogs I have ever met. I would feel comfortable in any situation with either children (disabled or ill) or the elderly with any one of my three Pyrs. Pyrenees are hard to describe. They are most comfortable with a job to do, preferably guarding. I do not currently have any life stock so they guard our property. They take this job very seriously.
I do make a habit of taking them out on a regular basis to dog friendly places.
I have also noticed that once my Pyrs have gotten past the puppy stage- they become more aloof. Not that they dont care or dont want to be loved on- but for the most part, cuddling is not in thier vocabulary. My oldest one is a rescue from an not too good situation and she is the most affectionate of the three.
The old lady (Dakota) was having to receive treatments from my vet for an extended amount of time- My vet has a young daughter. The daughter was walking thru the lobby, saw Dakota and immediatley came over and sat down by Dakota and just laid her head on Dakota. Dakota was most gentle with this child and has had that temperment with all children. ( I do not advocate any young child coming up and laying on just any dog- and we watch this child closely when we have Jake the Great Dane up there)
I know that Pyrs can be trained- I know that there is a Pyr on this board that has done exceedingly well in Rally Obedience.(Kudos to her owners on that)  I think that starting your pup off as soon as possible will really be beneficial. Read everything that you can on Pyrs, it will help, and PLEASE post pictures. I just love pics of Pyrenees puppies- and welcome to the board.

Offline People Whisperer

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #9 on: November 14, 2006, 09:11:48 pm »
I have 3 Pyrs currently. From 8 mos to 7 years of age. I have not taken any of the Pyrs thru obedience training because they literally have a mind of thier own and they really do think that they are smarter than thier owner. Do not misinterprete that statement. I love my Pyrs and will always own a Pyr. Pyrs are one of the most gentle dogs I have ever met. I would feel comfortable in any situation with either children (disabled or ill) or the elderly with any one of my three Pyrs. Pyrenees are hard to describe. They are most comfortable with a job to do, preferably guarding. I do not currently have any life stock so they guard our property. They take this job very seriously.
I do make a habit of taking them out on a regular basis to dog friendly places.
I have also noticed that once my Pyrs have gotten past the puppy stage- they become more aloof. Not that they dont care or dont want to be loved on- but for the most part, cuddling is not in thier vocabulary. My oldest one is a rescue from an not too good situation and she is the most affectionate of the three.
The old lady (Dakota) was having to receive treatments from my vet for an extended amount of time- My vet has a young daughter. The daughter was walking thru the lobby, saw Dakota and immediatley came over and sat down by Dakota and just laid her head on Dakota. Dakota was most gentle with this child and has had that temperment with all children. ( I do not advocate any young child coming up and laying on just any dog- and we watch this child closely when we have Jake the Great Dane up there)
I know that Pyrs can be trained- I know that there is a Pyr on this board that has done exceedingly well in Rally Obedience.(Kudos to her owners on that)  I think that starting your pup off as soon as possible will really be beneficial. Read everything that you can on Pyrs, it will help, and PLEASE post pictures. I just love pics of Pyrenees puppies- and welcome to the board.
[/quote
Oh gosh! Do they have a mine of their own! I have started obedience classes when Lily was 9 weeks. She is the best student ever! She new every command she had to know by the 4th class BUT....she refuses to do the HEEL one. She is 18 weeks now and still doesn't do heel. And I swear, she looks like a donkey when I have to drag her around or talk to her nicely "heel, heel, heel, heel, let's go girl". Nothing works! I am turning into a better person by having to deal with her!
On regular basis she doesn't pull on the leash. She always walks right next me.
"To once own a Great Pyrenees is to love and want one always."
Mary W. Crane

I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it :)


bigdogs@5501

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Re: socializing pyr puppy
« Reply #10 on: November 14, 2006, 10:28:09 pm »
My Pyrs have never pulled on the leash, I wish that I could same for the Newf mix. Bella- the youngest will sit for a Tollhouse cookie. Nothing else- she can distinguish a Tollhouse from any other treat, even if you are hiding it in your hand.   Pyrs are incredibly smart. I am impressed that you got yours to do as much in training- My middle child Pyr, we attempted training, and she would just sit and look at me with that "Have you lost your mind", look. OK now I really want to see pics- must see pics  ;D